Mayor’s Panel to Speed Zoning Reform

Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley on Thursday formed a committee of five top city officials to oversee the city’s court-ordered zoning reform process, which has been beset by delays and internal wrangling.

Deputy Mayor Tom Houston, who will head the committee, said that Bradley is concerned about the city’s ability to meet a judge’s deadline to reconcile differences between the 1946 zoning code, the standard up to now, and the newer and stricter General Plan.

The prospect of zoning reform has aroused the apprehension of building industry officials, who fear that it will lead to new restrictions on commercial construction for about one-fourth of the city’s land--the area affected by conflicts in the zoning code and the plan.

Delays, Errors Charged

Bradley formed the oversight committee after the disclosure of a memorandum from the city’s chief zoning administrator, in which he said that errors and delays by the City Planning Department, in charge of the zoning reform process, were making it difficult to carry out the judge’s instructions.

In January, Superior Court Judge John L. Cole gave the city one year to bring the zoning code and the General Plan into harmony. Cole made the ruling in a suit brought by several homeowners’ groups that charged that the city was ignoring a 1979 state law requiring that differences between the plan and the zoning code be eliminated.

At a hearing Thursday, Cole listened to a request from the homeowners’ groups that he appoint a monitor to supervise the zoning reform process. Cole said he wants more information on the city’s compliance efforts before ruling on the homeowners’ request.

The oversight committee appointed by Bradley will consist of Houston, City Administrative Officer Keith Comrie, Chief Legislative Analyst William McCarley, Director of Planning Calvin Hamilton and Acting City Atty. Gary Netzer.

Formation of the committee appeared to be a signal to the court and to the Planning Department that the mayor considers compliance with the court’s order a matter of high priority.